Purple was not a color that the Duke boys usually associated with their Uncle, however that was exactly the shade his face was currently turning after listening to what Bo had to say. They boys had come in from the dark, and asked to speak to Jesse in the sitting room.
Jesse had complied, thinking that now he was going to find out just what had been bothering his youngest nephew all weekend long. He figured it might be a failing grade in a class and he had just been too ashamed to admit it.
Normally he was the sweetest and gentlest man you could ever hope to meet, treating strangers with as much respect and kindness as he treated his own kin. It was rare that you could provoke him to true anger. Anytime he did get mad, it was a silent sort of mad that made you think. Today, Bo's admission seemed to bypass that level and invoke a never before seen side of their Uncle. One that Bo hoped he would never, ever see again.
Bo was trembling as he stood in front of the sofa where his uncle sat; waiting to hear what was going on in the teen's life. Luke had taken a chair next to the sofa, lending a moral support that was greatly needed. So he had taken a deep breath and had told.
"Haylie is WHAT?!?" His uncle roared in a voice so loud that Bo was certain the windows shook.
"Pregnant." Bo admitted again very softly and bowed his head down to look at his hands. It was a much better sight than eyeing his uncle.
Which was short lived. "You look at me, boy." Jesse ordered and Bo raised his head to meet his uncle's smoldering eyes. "The baby is yours?" It wasn't really a question, more like a clarification.
Bo nodded silently. Haylie had been seeing no others for the past three months since they had gotten together. She was constantly calling him and going places with him. People commented on how cute they looked together, her with her long, golden blond hair and green eyes that sparkled like emeralds. Him with his own blond hair, blue eyes and sun-bronzed skin. It was a match made in heaven, and he really had taken to her.
Some of the purpling left his uncle's face, replaced with the anger Bo was more accustomed to. Which meant only one thing. "Alright, then." Jesse stood and wrapped his hand around Bo's upper arm. "Come with me." His tone of voice brooked no argument.
Luke had been watching silently. He also knew what was coming. He stood up and spoke his first word in the conversation. "No."
Jesse stopped and turned the angry eyes on Luke. "What did you just say to me?" It was unheard of for either of the boys to protest punishment when it was rightly earned.
Luke gulped, knowing that by interrupting the punishment, he was risking his uncle's ire. Once spoken, he knew he had to continue. "Uncle Jesse, please." He reached over and unhooked the beefy hand from Bo's arm while his uncle was still shocked enough to allow it. "I know you are angry with Bo, and you have every right to be. But what is taking him out to the woodshed going to solve?"
Jesse got over his shock and growled at the older boy. "Stay out of this, Luke. Bo here needs to be taught a lesson and unless you want to share in his punishment, you better just sit your behind back down and be quiet."
Luke met his uncle's temper with a fierce determination that he hadn't realized he possessed. "Then you will have to punish me too." He crossed his arms over his chest and inserted his body between his uncle and his cousin.
Bo was surprised to find Luke standing up for him. "Luke, you don't have to do this," he said quietly. "I'll go with him."
Jesse stared at his two nephews. Luke was not backing down one inch and Bo still stood quietly, ready to accept whatever was coming his way. "Luke..." Jesse warned for the last time. "Move."
Luke didn't budge. "It's not going to solve anything, Uncle Jesse." He kept his voice calm, hoping the sound of it would calm the elder Duke. "Haylie will still be pregnant and Bo will still be the father."
At the display of rationality coming from Luke, Jesse felt some of his anger fade. Where had the boy learned to be so brash with his thoughts? He was doing exactly what he believed to be the right thing and was protecting his still shaking cousin to boot. Jesse let out a loud sigh and sat back down on the sofa. "Consider yourself lucky, Bo, that you have a cousin that is willing to put his own behind on the line for you."
Bo nodded as he looked over to Luke. He made a mental note to thank Luke later.
Luke had been praying silently the whole time that he wasn't pushing his luck to the breaking point and getting them both into even more trouble. He now closed his eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks that it had worked.
"Sit down, boys." Jesse ordered. Luke sat back in his chair and Bo took the one right opposite the sofa and just out of arm's reach of their uncle. Once they were seated Jesse let his gaze bore right into the youngest Duke. "Beauregard Duke, I am deeply disappointed in you."
Bo took in a small gasp of air. Getting switched behind the woodshed would have hurt less physically than the stinging words that had just been said. He deeply respected his uncle and had always tried to do whatever would please the man and make him proud. Those words now cut like a sharp knife to his young heart. There was no way to feel more ashamed than he was feeling right now. He had let down his uncle and himself as well with his selfish actions and the now terrifying results. "I know," he replied softly, fighting tears.
"What are you going to do?" Jesse broke into Bo's thoughts. "You gonna do what is right?"
Bo licked his lips, not sure what to say. He wasn't exactly sure just what was right at the moment. That was the crux of his problem. He wanted to atone for his mistake but he didn't know how to do that. "I don't know what to do, Uncle Jesse." His eyes darted over to Luke, looking for some courage to continue. Luke gave a small nod.
Bo bit his lip an continued. "I want to do what is right, but I don't think I love her enough to marry her."
Jesse stroked his short, white beard thoughtfully. "I didn't expect you would. What you are going to do is this." He waited until he had Bo's undivided attention. "After school tomorrow, you will meet me at her house. We will go inside together and you will then apologize to her and her parents for getting their little girl in the family way."
"Yes, sir." Bo replied.
"And then," Jesse continued. "Then you will tell them that you are willing to do whatever it takes to provide for that girl and her child. No matter how many jobs you have to do. That there baby will not be forgotten." He stopped to glance over to Luke and gave him a glare that said he better not interrupt this time.
"Yes, sir." Bo said again, feeling much like the man being sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. He really wanted nothing more than to melt into the floor and get away form this whole horrible mess.
Jesse wasn't about to let him go just yet. "For your few seconds of pleasure, Bo, you have now tied yourself down with a child. I hope for your sake it was worth it." With that proclamation Jesse got up and went to his bedroom. He entered the room and slammed the door hard.
Bo jumped at the sound and gulped slightly. His color was pale and the tears he had been holding back now threatened to fall. Part of him wanted Jesse to come back out here and take him behind the woodshed and whack him hard. That same part felt he deserved it and wanted to be punished physically. When he turned in his seat to look at his cousin, he saw nothing but sympathy in the warm blue eyes.
He lost what little control he had on his emotions. The tears broke free and flowed down his reddened cheeks. He was embarrassed, and very ashamed of himself right now. He got up out of the char and walked to his room, never once saying a word. He closed the door behind him, hoping his cousin would respect his need for privacy.
Luke sighed. The only good thing about tonight was the fact that he had kept his own temper in check and prevented his uncle from giving Bo a thorough spanking. The whole situation was still a bit hard to believe. Was his cousin really about to become a father at the young age of 16? Seventeen, his mind mentally corrected. Bo would be seventeen when the baby was born.
He could only fathom the feelings Bo was having right now. If the situation was reversed, he was sure that he would be quite scared and nervous. Scared, nervous, embarrassed and upset. He decided that he would give Bo some time to calm himself down and then he would go and offer what little comfort he had to give. He loved his cousin and would gladly take his place if it were even possible. He just hoped that what he had to offer would be enough.
(Next chapter - meet Haylie Morris)